By Noel Francis
Tokyo, Japan – It was a historic night for Jamaica at the 20th edition of the World Athletics Championship held in Tokyo, Japan. It was the first time since the legendary Usain Bolt won the world title in 2015 that a Jamaican male sprinter had won a world championship title.
Oblique Seville, competing in his fifth global championship final, in as many years, ran the race of his life to deny co-favourites Kishane Thompson, his countryman, and world and Olympic champion Noah Lyles of the United States. Following a false start that ruled out Botswanan star Letsile Tebogo, the field fell into a hushed silence for the restart.
At the second time of asking, Seville reacted fastest to the starter’s pistol and by the halfway stage was in a two-horse race with Thompson after both men had separated from the field. Seville, who had lost his last four meetings to Thompson, soared by him at the 80m to complete a scintillating victory in a new personal best of 9.77 seconds. Thompson, the silver medallist from the Paris Olympics, collected another silver in 9.82 seconds ahead of the well-beaten Noah Lyles, who finished third in 9.89.
“It’s a good feeling, said Seville. “I have now proven myself to the world, my family and the fans that I am a champion. I actually knew I was going to win from the heats, and people saw that I was a true competitor and warrior.” Thompson, who narrowly lost the Paris Olympic title last year, admitted Seville was just too good on the night. “I was really locked in during the race, said Thompson. “At one point, I was talking to myself and in the last five metres I saw Seville moving past me and then I said, “Ah, and that was it”.